


Feel the Thunder

by JulianJoyStark



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Domestic, Fluff, Hux is canon age, Implied Sexual Content, Kissing, Kylo is Eighteen, M/M, Not Beta Read, Song Inspired, Widower Hux, farming, garth brooks inspired, sfw, summertime
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 11:57:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13763661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JulianJoyStark/pseuds/JulianJoyStark
Summary: This work is heavily inspired by the song 'That Summer' by Garth Brooks.Armitage Hux is a widower, left with far more responsibility than he can handle alone. Ben Solo is an eighteen year old looking to build his own life away from home. They find what they need in each other.





	Feel the Thunder

**Author's Note:**

> Hello this is my first Kylux work !!  
> I don't really know if it's that good, but I thought about it and decided I'd write it.  
> Please (if you want to) listen to 'That Summer' by Garth Brooks to get a better feel for this fic.  
> Enjoy!

It was the summer Ben Solo turned eighteen. He struck out, looking to get away from his small Indiana town, he found his way out in Armitage Hux’s misfortune. 

Armitage was a widower at only Thirty-four years old. His late husband had left behind a farm, along with their old farm house. It was wheat fields for miles, and Armitage Hux was not a farmer by any means, and he never planned to become one. However, he was hell bent on keeping the property, and not letting the harvest go to waste. 

He’d run an ad in the paper, looking for anyone who knew anything about farming. The job lasted all summer, and included lodging. The large farmhouse was far too empty with just him in it. The ad ran in all the surrounding towns, but oddly enough the man only got one answer, it came from a boy in Indiana, Ben Solo. 

At first he was reluctant to let the boy accept the offer. He was only eighteen, and the distance was far between the farm and his hometown, but he sounded eager on the phone. Armitage remembered being eighteen, and so desperate to leave home that he’d left his entire country behind. The boy had experience, or so he said, working on his uncle’s farm in his town during the summers, and that was more than Armitage himself had. So after a few phone interviews with Ben, he cleared him to come out to start work, praying he wouldn’t grow to regret it. 

Ben Solo informed him he didn’t have a car, and that he’d be taking the bus out to nearest station to the farm, and Armitage would pick him up from there. Ben would be arriving in just a few days, so he set out to prepare one of the many empty bedrooms for him, and tidy up around the house. In all, he was excited to have someone else around the house, it had been months since Poe’s death, and the loneliness was becoming unbearable. 

When he arrived, he was hardly the scrawny boy he’d been expecting. He was tall, Six foot Two, and broad chested. His muscled physique indicated he must have participated in some sort of sport during his schooling years. Dark hair and brown eyes that seemed to only point downwards. He had only one bag with him when he stepped off the bus, and Armitage wondered if he even had enough clothing with him to last the full summer. He was quiet, visibly nervous, and when he did speak his voice was deep and hushed. 

“Ah, you must be Ben Solo, I’m Armitage Hux.” He greeted, as Ben had been the only person to get off at this particular bus stop.

The boy nodded as he reached out to shake his hand, “Yes sir, nice to meet you, and thank you for letting me come out.” He looked up at him just for a moment, forcing a quick smile his way. 

Hux noted the boys brown eyes, and dark wavy hair. They weren’t dissimilar to those of his late husband, and the familiar sight of them was oddly comforting. “You can put your bag in the trunk, it’s a thirty minute drive out to the farm.” He told him, turning and heading to the drivers side of the car.  
Much to his surprise, the boy walked ahead of him, getting to his door first and opening it for him. The act took him by surprise, and he wondered if Ben was always so polite, or if he just wanted to make a good impression. “Thank you Ben.” He told him with a nod, getting into the car and starting it. He watched in the rearview mirror as the other put his bag in the trunk, and then came around the side of the car and got in.

They drove in silence for the first five minutes, until finally it was the boy who spoke first. “I’ve never been out of Indiana.” He said, “Tennessee if pretty different.” He added, looking out the window. “I mean..Good different.”

Armitage laughed at the statement, “Well I’ve never been to Indiana, so I can’t make the comparison.” He said, “Only England, and then New york, and here.” 

That seemed to spark an interest in Ben, who perked up just a bit in his seat, and turned to look at the red head. “So you’re from England? I was wondering if your accent was real…” He sounded just a bit sheepish, and he moved to run a large hand through his hair. 

 

“Yes, my accent is very real.” He assured him with a smile, “Born and raised in England, moved to New York City at eighteen.” He explained, “I met my husband there, Poe, he was a singer.” He spoke fondly of his late love, with just a twinge of sadness in his voce. “He bought the farm ten years ago, and retired here, until his death earlier this year.” He sighed, shaking his head. 

Ben was staring at him, frowning now. “I’m sorry to hear that.” He said quietly, “It sounds like you guys had a good life.” He moved to look down at his own hands. “Are you uhm, are you holding up okay?” He asked quietly. 

Armitage smiled at that, they did have a good life, “Thank you Ben.” He said, before sighing again. “It wasn’t sudden, I’ve had more than enough time to grieve.” He wasn’t over it, he wasn’t sure he ever would be, but it didn’t hurt anymore to think about it. 

The answer seemed to satisfy Ben, and he didn’t ask about it anymore. In fact, he changed the subject completely, obviously in an effort not to upset the red head. “I’m excited to be away from home, I really want to start my own life, and I think this is a good opportunity for me.” 

He could hear the excitement in the others voice, and it was refreshing to hear someone sound so happy about something. “Well good, because I don’t know a thing about farming, and there are ten of acres of wheat to be dealt with.” He explained. He never was the outdoors type, preferring to spend most of his time in the house, painting walls, adjusting fixtures, decorating. He’d spent years turning the old farmhouse into the perfect home. 

The rest of the car ride was spent mostly in silence, with some idle chat thrown in about the weather, and Ben’s excitement to be ‘traveling’. Armitage was thankful that the boy seemed easy enough to get along with, it would make the summer that much easier.

When they reached the farm he couldn’t help but look over at Ben to see his reaction. He wasn’t let down by the look of awe on the boys face. He remembered his own reaction to seeing the property the first time, he’d been filled with a mixture of excitement and ‘oh my god how are we going to take care of this’, and it was refreshing to see that look on someone else’s face. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that Ben would be able to handle the work though, he was fit, and young.

“It’s a lot bigger than my uncle’s farm.” Ben said, staring out the window as they drove through the field, approaching the house. His jaw dropped at the sight of the three story light blue farmhouse, complete with a wrap around porch and pale yellow shutters. “You have a beautiful house.” 

Ben’s innocence in itself was charming, watching him see everything for the first time was the most amusement he’d gotten in a long time. “Thank you very much Ben.” He said, parking the car in the driveway. 

Much to his surprise again, Ben got out of the car quickly, coming around to his side of the car and opening his door for him again. It was less shocking the second time, but still just as sweet. “You are quite the gentleman Ben.” Armitage said, getting out of the car. 

Ben smiled at him, and he swore he saw a blush creep over the boy’s face, he didn’t say anything, just nodded and moved to get his bag from the trunk. 

================================================================== 

The first month passed slowly, and the summer was in full swing. The days were impossibly hot, and dragging on long. Armitage spent most of his time inside, he’d painted the living room a new shade of blue, and the kitchen a new shade of pink. Though, no amount of painting or DIY projects could distract him from Ben Solo. 

He would sit on the porch, and watch the boy return from a half days work for lunch every day, and every day he’d have something prepared for him. He liked peanut butter and jelly, as childish as it seemed. He’d come up to the porch, shirt either soaked with sweat, or removed completely. His dark hair pulled back in a bun, and his boots and jeans caked in dust and dirt. He’d tanned over the month, after a fairly bad sunburn at first.

Armitage was happy to say he was a decent worker too, he never complained, and he never slacked off. He got up early, and he worked until the sun went down. Coming back to the house for lunch, and then returning home for dinner in the evening. The domesticity of it was comforting, and for the first time in nearly a year his life felt normal again. The boy was good company too. He had the weekends off, and he usually stayed home, helping with Armitage’s various projects, or just sitting in the study reading any book he’d picked up off the shelf. Having him around was pleasant. 

Though recently, Armitage couldn’t deny that his feelings for the young man had shifted. What started as an appreciation for his work, had turned into an appreciation for his body, then an appreciation for company, and finally for his personality. Preparing his lunch and waiting for him to come eat it had become the highlight of his day, and sitting and having lunch with the sweaty boy had become something he looked forward to doing.

He tried to suppress the feelings, and he was successful for a short time. The guilt was eating him alive. Poe hadn’t been gone a full year, and Ben was much younger than him. It just wouldn’t be right, and nothing good would come of it. All it was was lust, and Ben deserved better than that. 

It was a month and half into the summer when he realized his full feelings for the boy. One afternoon waiting for him to come back to the house to wash up and have dinner, and the boy hadn’t shown at his usual time. He waited on the porch for half an hour, and when Ben still didn’t show, he panicked. So he set off into the fields to find him, praying he’d be safe. He couldn’t lose Ben like he lost his Poe. 

He reached the barn, where he found the boy, curled up on a bale of hay, asleep. He approached him slowly, silently, before gently putting a hand on his shoulder, and Ben woke with a start, and looked up at him fearful eyes. 

“I’m so sorry Mr.Hux, I promise I don’t do this everyday.” He bagan apologizing quickly as he bolted up to his feet, looking like he might cry any moment. “It was just really hot, and I got dizzy so I lied down for just a minute, but I must have fallen asleep, and I’m so sorry.” 

Armitage hushed him by pulling him into his arms, which stunned the boy for a moment, before he returned the embrace. “I was very worried about you.” He said softly, “I thought something had happened to you when you didn’t come in for dinner.” 

Ben seemed to tighten his hold on him, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you, I promise I’m okay.” He assured him, aware of just how upset Armitage was. 

They stayed that way for a moment longer, just holding onto each other in the dim light of the barn, nothing but the hot summer air between them. Armitage pulled away first, straightening up his shirt. “Come on, dinner is likely cold now, I’ll have to reheat it.” He said, putting the incident behind him, and heading out of the barn, checking behind to him to make sure Ben followed. 

They didn’t speak about it agin for three days, when a storm had rolled in, thunder rumbling through the darkened sky, and it would be impossible for Ben to work in the pouring rain. It was mid day, and like everyday Armitage made lunch. He took the plated sandwich into the living room, where Ben was seated on the couch, reading a book about the care of livestock. 

Armitage sat beside him, setting the plate down on the coffee table, and the boy looked up from the book and smiled at him. “Thank you.” There was light behind his brown eyes, and he’d found himself staring into them more and more. 

“You’re welcome Ben.” He said, his voice a bit softer than usual, and the boys eyes lingered on him for a moment longer, before he grabbed half his sandwich, taking a bite of it. “You know, you’re quite the hard worker, I’m very happy to have you here.” He didn’t pay Ben many compliments, not out loud at least. 

Ben blushed a bit, and smiled as he chewed, swallowing before speaking. “Thank you, I really like working here, I’ve learned a lot.” There was a hint of sadness in his tone, as they both knew the summer would be drawing to a close soon, and Ben would have to be on his way, either back to Indiana, or out somewhere new. There was no work for him to do here, not during the fall and winter months. He’d be gone, and Hux would be alone again, the house would be cold and empty. 

He reached up and brushed the hair out of Ben’s face, and the boy blushed further. “Ben…” He started, but didn’t exactly know what he’d been hoping to say. Thankfully, he didn’t have to say anything else, as the other leaned in and pressed their lips together, wrapping his arms around him as he did so. 

It had taken him by surprise at first, but it only took a second for him to close his eyes and melt into the kiss, returning Ben’s embrace, and deepening the kiss. The taste of peanut butter and jelly lingered in the other’s mouth, and he found himself smiling into the kiss. All the guilt he’d been feeling seemed to melt away as they kissed. Ben pulled him in closer, and Hux moved to tangle a hand in his dark before pulling away to breathe. 

Ben stared at him, panting through his parted lips. The air around them was hot, and heavy with a hunger they both recognized. “I..I’ve never.” It was a simple statement, but Armitage understood it’s meaning. He leaned in, kissing at Ben’s neck gently, before brushing his lips against his ear. 

“That’s alright...” He whispered, and Ben shivered.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> If you want you can talk to me on tumblr. julianjoystark.tumblr.com


End file.
